Things to know about the largest US-Russia prisoner swap in post-Soviet history
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Russia completed on Thursday their largest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history, a deal involving 24 people, many months of negotiations and concessions from other European countries who released individuals in their custody as part of the exchange. The deal is unlikely to signal a broader breakthrough in U.S.-Russia relations, but it’s striking nonetheless. Several Americans were left behind, and though there’s an imbalance in wrongfully detained Americans being traded for criminals convicted in Western courts, President Joe Biden says deals like this require hard choices.
3 newly freed Americans are back on US soil after a landmark prisoner exchange with Russia
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three newly freed Americans are back on U.S. soil after a landmark prisoner exchange with Russia. Journalist Evan Gershkovich, corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist with dual U.S.-Russia citizenship, arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland shortly before midnight Thursday for a joyful reunion with their families. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were also there to greet them. The three Americans were part of the biggest U.S.-Russian prisoner swap in post-Soviet history. Officials say the multinational deal officials has set two dozen people free. The trade follows years of back-channel negotiations despite relations between Washington and Moscow being at their lowest point since the Cold War after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Prisoner Swap Latest: Freed Americans return to US soil and emotional welcome
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Russia have completed a 24-person prisoner swap, the largest in post-Soviet history, with Moscow releasing journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan in a multinational deal that set some two dozen people free. Three freed Americans arrived at an Air Force Base outside Washington late at night to an emotional welcome from their families, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Thursday’s exchange follows a December 2022 trade that brought WNBA star Brittney Griner back to the U.S. in exchange for notorious arms trafficker Viktor Bout. Russia meanwhile secured the freedom of its own nationals convicted of serious crimes in the West.
US recognizes opposition candidate González as the winner of Venezuela’s presidential election
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The stakes have grown higher for Venezuela’s electoral authority to show proof backing its decision to declare President Nicolás Maduro the winner of the country’s presidential election after the United States recognized opposition candidate Edmundo González as the victor, discrediting the official results of the vote. The U.S. announcement followed calls from multiple governments, including close allies of Maduro, for Venezuela’s National Electoral Council to release detailed vote counts, as it has done during previous elections. The electoral body declared Maduro the winner Monday, but the main opposition coalition revealed hours later that it had evidence to the contrary.
Trump is making his 2024 campaign about Harris’ race, whether Republicans want him to or not
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s rhetoric this week and his record on race indicate that divisive attacks on race may emerge as a core GOP argument before Election Day. Democrats and some Republicans expressed outrage this week at the former president’s derisive and false charge that Vice President Kamala Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian heritage, only recently “turned Black” for political gain. But Trump has found tremendous success from the very first moment he stepped onto the presidential stage by stoking racial animus. He doubted whether Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president, was born in the United States and has often criticized opponents in racist or racially demeaning terms.
Hezbollah leader says war with Israel has entered ‘new phase’ after killings of top militant figures
BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah’s leader warned that the militant group’s conflict with Israel has entered a “new phase.” He made the comments Thursday following the killing of a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut and Hamas’ political chief in Tehran. Hassan Nasrallah spoke to a funeral ceremony for the commander, Fouad Shukur, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut this week. In Tehran, Iran’s supreme leader prayed over the body of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader. Iran has vowed revenge for the killing of Haniyeh in a blast believed to have been carried out by Israel. The killings have raised fears of a wider war.
Israel says it has confirmed that chief of Hamas’ military wing was killed in a July strike in Gaza
JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military says it has confirmed that the head of Hamas’ military wing was killed in an airstrike in Gaza in July. The announcement about Mohammed Deif comes a day after the assassination of Hamas’ political chief in an airstrike in Iran. The killings have left U.S., Qatari and Egyptian mediators scrambling to salvage talks for a cease-fire deal in Gaza, even as international officials try to avert an all-out regional war. Hamas had no immediate comment on Israel’s announcement of Deif’s death. The militant group had previously said he survived the airstrike.
British prime minister announces policing plan to deal with violence after fatal stabbing of girls
LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he will set a national policing capability to crack down on violent protesters after clashes with police across England the past two nights. Starmer condemned the violence and said: “We will put a stop to it.” The announcement came after police were pelted with bottles in several cities by what Starmer called “marauding mobs” who apparently were reacting to a horrific stabbing Monday at a children’s dance class that killed three and wounded 10. The attack at a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday dance class shocked a country where knife crime is a long-standing and vexing problem, though mass stabbings are rare.
Ledecky wins record 13th medal with a silver. Summer McIntosh and Kate Douglass strike gold
NANTERRE, France (AP) — Another romp for Summer McIntosh. A gold medal for Kate Douglass. And, to cap things off, a record-breaking night for Katie Ledecky. With a silver in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay, Ledecky collected the 13th medal of her stellar career to become the most decorated woman in swimming history. She would’ve preferred it to be gold, but that went to an Australian squad led by gold medalists Mollie O’Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus. Still, in her next-to-last event of these games, Ledecky broke the mark she shared with fellow Americans Dara Torres, Natalie Coughlin and Jenny Thompson. The 27-year-old now has eight golds, four silvers and one bronze over four Olympics, with every intention of swimming on to Los Angeles in 2028.
Simone Biles makes history with second all-around Olympic gymnastics title, 8 years after her first
PARIS (AP) — Simone Biles edged Rebeca Andrade of Brazil during a tense all-around gymnastics final Thursday to become a two-time Olympic champion. Biles’ total of 59.131 was just ahead of Andrade at 57.932. That’s one of the closest calls Biles has ever endured at a major international event. Still, the meet ended just like all the ones Biles has started and finished over the last 11 years: with hugs and gold on the way. American Sunisa Lee, the defending Olympic all-around champion, earned the bronze.